Video captures man's rescue from California floodwaters
 |  A man floats atop his car in a suburban Los Angeles creek Sunday. |
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|  VIDEO |
 A nail-biting rescue from a flooded California viaduct.
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LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Firefighters rescued a man and two children from a car stranded in a rain-swollen creek in suburban Los Angeles Sunday, with rescuers plucking the father from the vehicle's roof as the water swept away his pants.
Heavy rains and snow fell across large parts of California, causing flash floods and occasional mudslides in the south during the weekend. (Full story)
In Norwalk, southeast of Los Angeles, rescuers from several agencies were called to rescue the man and his family, who had been stranded in the swift waters of Coyote Creek before authorities arrived.
About 40 firefighters on a bridge were able to rescue the children, but their car continued downstream with the man sitting on its roof, said Capt. Thomas McGauley of the Santa Fe Springs, California, fire department.
"We went ahead and moved units further downstream in case we had to utilize them, and it became apparent at that time that we had to utilize them," McGauley said.
Rescuers lining the rail of a bridge two miles downstream threw ropes to the man as the car approached, pulling him toward the bridge.
His pants were pulled off as he was pulled through the water, and he fell back into the creek after almost reaching the bridge.
Rescuers were able to throw another line to the man after he passed under the bridge and pull him against the current onto the bridge.
"Last I heard, he is unhurt and in good spirits," said Capt.Mike Yule of Santa Fe Springs.
